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2014 Prequel & Sequel Challenge Sign Ups

It’s time for another year of the Sequel Challenge! This year I’m changing it up a bit. I’ve adopted Melissa @ Writer Grrl Reads as a wonderful co-host and we’ve decided to add Prequels to the mix as well, and make a few changes!

Welcome to the 2014 Sequel & Prequel Challenge, hosted by Novel Heartbeat and Writer Grrl Reads! This year’s challenge is an expansion on the 2013 Sequel challenge. We’ve compared our unbelievably long series TBR lists and come to the conclusion that we need a bit of extra help knocking those sequels of our TBRs and we’re sure that a few of you have the same problem!

The goal: To read as many prequels and sequels as you can. You set your goal at whatever number works for you.

Books can be of any publication date. They don’t have to be released in 2014.

In order to get 10 points for a completed series, there must be at least 3 full-length books in the series.

You can still get sequel points for a duology, you just can’t get the 10 bonus points for finishing it.

Sign-ups will be open until December 1st, 2014.

To join, add the URL of your challenge post to the linky widget. (If you’d like to wait, it’s ok to use your blog URL and send us your link when you get the post up)

At the end of each month we will post a linky for you to add your sequel reviews to. The linky will rotate between our blogs on alternate months, so you can link up at Novel Heartbeat at the end of January, March, May, July, September and November, and over at Writer Grrl Reads at the end of February, April, June, August, October and December.

We will try to do some giveaways throughout the year for participants (as long as we can afford it), as well as some mini-challenges and read-alongs … so stay tuned for further details!

There will be a giveaway at the end of the year for all participants who completed the challenge!

The Point System

For each prequel and sequel read this year, points will be awarded as follows:

1 point for each prequel or sequel novella read and reviewed

2 points for each full-length sequel read and reviewed

10 points for completing and reviewing a full series (doesn’t require novellas)*†

**You do not get points for the first book in a series

To get points, you must review the book/novella somewhere. If you want to earn points, please link up your reviews at the end of each month, and enter the number of points earned (we will give examples in the linky). Each point earned is an entry into the giveaway at the end of the year for all participants who completed the challenge. So, the more sequels you read, the better your chances of winning the giveaway! Plus, we are also considering one prize for the “overacheiver award” — the person who gets the most points!

*The 10 bonus points is for finishing a full series. That means that all books must be published (unless you got an advance reader copy early). i.e. If you are completely caught up on a series, and the next book is not releasing until 2015 (and you do not have an advance reader copy), that does not count toward the 10 bonus points.

†If you started the series before 2014, you can still get the bonus points for finishing it if you reviewed the other books in the series at some point. For example: You read The Hunger Games in 2013, but read Catching Fire and Mockingjay in 2014 – you would get 2 points for both sequels (4 points total) and 10 points for finishing the series. You don’t have to start the series in 2014 to get the bonus points.

10-25 points: Newbie

25-50 points: Amateur

51-75 points: Advanced

76-100 points: Professional

101+ points: Veteran

So let this year be the year that we stop whining about how many sequels are sitting on our TBRs or cluttering up our shelves! Take control of your reading destinies and sign up to read with us!

40 Responses to “2014 Prequel & Sequel Challenge Sign Ups”

Ooh, I like these changes! But a question: does a “complete” series mean only ones that have all of the books published, or just ones where you’re caught up to most recent book (assuming there’s at least 3, of course)? Also does that have to include all of the novellas, or just full length books?

Hmm, that’s a good question! I never thought about the unfinished ones. We’ll probably keep it as a completely finished series (all books published), but I can certainly consult with my co-host and see if we can make an exception :)

For the 10 points you just have to have all the full length books. Some series have too many novellas to keep up with (like Throne of Glass), so we don’t require you to read all of them for the series to be technically complete.

Oh this sounds like fun! I’m already doing Octavia’s Series Challenge for 2014 so I think this will overlap nicely. :) I’m not even sure what series I’ll start reading that have all the books out, or which ones I’m even the middle of. I guess we’ll see how many points I end up with!

Oh this looks like so much fun!!!. I have several sequels and at least a prequel waiting :) I guess I will save them for 2014 then. Question, if I read the 2 final books of a trilogy on 2014, and the first one on 2013, would that count as 10 points? Because since it is a trilogy AND the first book doesn’t count I’m not sure.
Thanks!

There’s so many challenges I want to sign up for in 2014! But I do think I’m in on this one – I have way too many series that I’ve started and haven’t finished yet. Unfortunately the author’s haven’t finished most of them, so I won’t be getting a lot of 10 pointers, but getting caught up will still be great! I’ll link up once I get my post up later this month.

This is such a good challenge! Will definitely be entering this one, I have too many series that I need to read and complete :)
Wonderful idea, hats off to everyone who organised it, and good luck to those taking part!

I like your challenge as I was looking for one where you didn’t have to get through a complete series which is a big ask if it has a lot of books in it. I like the points system and am looking forward to the challenge.

I am never really good at challenges but I think I am going to try this one as I do need to keep up on some series. I have a few of those .5’s that need read, etc. :) I will probably go for newbie just to make sure I can make my goal..lol.

A series is defined by 3+ volumes. Checkmark. 10 points for finishing a series. Checkmark. Where I seek confirmation is: it doesn’t matter how few to do in 2014? Say I merely had Lyn Hamilton’s last novel to finish. It equals 10 points. Is that right? Carolyn.http://cmriedel.wordpress.com/riedel-reading-themes/

One of my main goals is to complete series and I hope this challenge will help me. I’m shooting for the lowest level, but hope to have to upgrade as the year goes on. The thing is I’m great about starting a series. I’m slow to finish it.